The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-05-28
THE RAILROAD STOVE.
Nine Passengers submit Strictly Original
Plans for Heating Railway Cara

"ne rsssengers Submit Strictly Original
fisns for Heating Railway Carr.
After the train had fairly got started
there was sort of convention held in
our coach, and it was solemnly
hesotced, That the Railroad companies must
nna some safer means Of heating their cars.
Inc chairman of the convention called
Tor an expression of opinions. and here
are some of the opinions:
l. think that they orter keep man
and pail of water for each stove, and
In case of accident he 10 to douse out
the fire.
= 2. The bottoms Of all car stoves should
De made to work on hinge. and this
ninge should be worked from the engine.
You have seen how the bucket of a
dredge works? Well. that the principle
exactly I'd have it SO that in case of
danger the engineer could drop the
bottom out of every stove on the train
and leave the fire on the track. / may
say that the idea is strictly original
with me, but of course l don't want
any particular credit for it. Such bril-
liant strokes come natural to me.
3. NY plan is to heat with steam
from mills and factories along the
route. Idon't know just how the de-
tails could be carried out, but that's
none of my business. I've got three
saw-mills on this line, and I'd sell 'em
steam at cost.
4. This heating has got to be done
with hot water, and the water has got
to be kept hot by the motion of the
cars. IL must be so arranged that it
will all run out on the ground in case
OF accident If / had few days to my
self could think up some way to make
1t work. but my old woman is sick, half
my sheep need doctoring and I've got
two lawsuits on hand Some of you
fellers work it out.
5. lBy a woman.] My way would
be to keep big kettle of water on each
stove, and have it so fixed that in case
OF accident the bottom of the kettle
would drop out and let the water sub
due the merciless flames.
6. Now, you look here. This whole
heating system is wrong-radically
wrong. The heating ought to be done
by electricity taken from the telegraph
wires and conveyed through steam
pipes to different portions of car.
I'm selling groceries on the road at
seventy dollars per month, and /
haven't time to work out such prob
lem, but some of you folks ought to
take hold Of it. There's cool million
dollars in the idea.
z. (By another woman.1 My husband
says they ought to store up enough heat
an the summer to last all winter. /
didn't ask him how they'd do it. but I'm
sure he's right. He can guess the
weather whole week ahead. and he's
figured out that the sun is only twenty
eight miles from the earth.
3. Well, l doan' like to be burned
oop init hot shtove, und so vhas busy
init some plan aboudt il. How Who's it
if der railroadt company had nice
place eafery fife miles on der roadt, und
we all shtop In und get warm und haf
some beer and free lunch? Nopody gets
burned oop dot vhay, und all vhas peace
und shoy und happiness.
.. Me? don't care button! Ihave
been il twenty-one railroad accidents
and never got hurt, and I'm willing to
take my chances. always carry a
saw, hammer. coal-chisel, crow-bar and
jack-screw in my pockets, and in case
the car falls off bridge and l am
caught in the wreck shall go to work
to get myself out. Nothing like depend
ing on your own exertions. Detroit
Free Press.